Escape
by Henrika
Summary: Henry has been feeling even more detached from the others lately. Will they be able to help him before he does something drastic? Suicide hints. Complete!
1. Default Chapter

Escape By Henrika  
  
Henrika- Hello everyone! Here's my second fic. I want to thank all the reviewers for Shining Light. Hopefully I can get more reviews for this fic. (HINT! HINT! Button at bottom.) Henry's OOC but I'll try my best to keep him IC. Enjoy! Remember, Read and Review!  
  
Disclaimer- I don't own digimon. If I did season three would have continued into a season 4. (I haven't seen Frontier, so I'm not knocking it!)  
  
Setting-Takes place about a month after the defeat of the D-reaper.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"So how about it Rika? You want to hit the movies with me?" Ryo asked.  
  
"Fine Ryo." Rika replied. The digimon had finally come back and the tamers were having a meeting in Guilmon's old hideout. Guilmon had moved into Takato's, but the tamer's still used his hideout for meetings.  
  
"Well, I guess that wraps it up. Jeri, do you want to get something to eat?" Takato asked. Jeri and Takato had been dating since the D-reaper had been destroyed.  
  
"Let's go." Jeri said.  
  
"I'll pick you up at seven Rika." Ryo said as he drifted out.  
  
"Hey Kazu, I'm going to beat you at cards this time." Kenta said.  
  
"Yeah right chumley." Kazu said as he brandished his deck of cards and ran to the playground where they always played.  
  
"Yeah gotta go." Henry muttered as he left.  
  
Rika leaned back against the wall and Renamon appeared. "Does Henry seem odd to you lately?" Renamon asked.  
  
"Now that you mention it, yeah. At first I thought it was because Terriermon was gone, but you guys came back and he kept acting weird, like he just didn't care anymore." Rika said.  
  
"Renamon, do you mind.?" Rika asked but Renamon cut her off.  
  
"Of course." Renamon said and she disappeared. Rika sighed and went home to get ready for her date.  
  
******************  
  
When Ryo arrived at Rika's house that evening he was a half-hour late and Rika was incredibly mad. She was wearing her usual clothes except for the fact that she had changed into a bright blue-colored tank top.  
  
"Where were you Ryo?" Rika asked.  
  
"I.uh.um." Ryo stuttered trying to explain when Rika looked like she was going to kill him.  
  
"Don't bother Ryo, let's just go." Rika said as she walked out the door.  
  
They went to the movie, but Rika's thoughts kept drifting to Henry.  
  
'Why has he been so weird lately?' Rika thought. The movie ended and Rika couldn't remember what it was about. Ryo tried talking to her and received enough death glares to have died at least fifty times. He finally gave up and brought her home.  
  
"Thanks for the date Rika." Ryo said as they stood at her door. He leaned in to kiss her.  
  
"Learn to tell time Akiyama." She said as she slammed the door in his face and he ended up with a mouthful of wood instead of a kiss.  
  
Rika went into her room and flopped on her bed. She knew Renamon wouldn't be back from the mission Rika had sent her on. She changed into her pajamas and went to bed, hoping that Renamon would be successful.  
  
Henrika-Sorry it was so short. What did you think? Review! 


	2. A Tamer's Decision

Escape By Henrika  
  
Henrika- Thanks to everyone who reviewed. This chapter is late and a bit short so I apologize in advance. Review! Oh and a warning, This is the part that has the suicide hints in it.  
  
Disclaimer-Digimon isn't mine!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Henry had gone straight home after the tamer's meeting and had locked himself in his room. The rest of the family had gone out to dinner and Suzie had managed to convince their parents that the digimon could come too. Henry went to his computer and pulled off the cover.  
  
Hidden in the empty computer tower was a knife. Henry pulled it out and replaced the cover on his computer. The intricate green hilt moved onto a wickedly grooved steel blade. Henry had bought it when he decided to kill himself.  
  
'Some friends I have.' Henry thought bitterly. "Takato has Jeri, Ryo has Rika, and Kazu and Kenta are inseparable friends. They don't need me." Henry said to the empty air. He slipped off his white wristbands and used one of them to bind his suicide note to the handle of the knife. He put the knife over his wrist and pressed the cold steel into his wrist. A thin red line appeared as he moved the blade swiftly across his wrist. It was then he suddenly realized he didn't have the heart to do it. "This isn't how it's going to end." He declared to himself.  
  
And then he heard a noise on his balcony. He went outside and Renamon emerged with a look of shock on her face.  
  
Henry put the knife in Renamon's paw saying, "Renamon, I want you to take this and keep it." Renamon nodded and closed her fingers around the blade.  
  
Henry leaned over the balcony railing, refusing to look at the fox digimon. Renamon waited patiently.  
  
'I never thought he would go this far to end it.' Renamon thought as she looked at the form with his head hung, looking down, and yet seeing nothing.  
  
Finally Renamon noticed the boy had seemed to come to a resolution. "If I disappear in a few days you can show it to Rika. But not before then." Henry said with a pleading tone inflected in his voice, still refusing to look at Renamon.  
  
"As you wish. You have done the right thing by not ending it like this Henry." Renamon said as she leapt off the balcony and disappeared into the night. Henry watched her until she was out of sight, then he returned to his room. He sat down and began furiously working at his computer.  
  
After a few hours Henry's plan began to fall in place when he heard a knock on his door.  
  
"Henry, let me in before Suzie gets me! I don't want to be Miss Pretty Pants again! Suzie wants Lopmon and I to model all her new doll clothes! Help!" Terriermon yelled outside the door.  
  
"Oh Terriermon!" came Suzie's voice from down the hall.  
  
Henry mentally shuddered at hearing about the Miss Pretty Pants Torture being threatened for his partner.  
  
Henry quickly turned off his computer and came to Terriermon's rescue. Terriermon bounded into the room and Henry slammed the door behind him.  
  
"What have you been doing all evening?" Terriermon asked his tamer.  
  
"Nothing. You ready for bed?" Henry lied.  
  
Terriermon believed him and said, "You bet." He lay down and instantly went to sleep.  
  
Henry heard footsteps down the hall and stopped moving.  
  
"Are you asleep Henry?" Henry's mom, Mayumi, asked through his door. He didn't respond so she went off to bed, thinking Henry had gone to bed early.  
  
Henry waited until he was sure everyone in the Wong apartment was asleep. Then, he wrote two new notes and laid them and his D-power by his sleeping digimon.  
  
"Goodbye Terriermon." Henry whispered. He opened the digital gate he had created on his computer and disappeared. The computer clicked itself off as the gate shut.  
  
Henrika-Questions? Comments? Hey, even criticism? Review! 


	3. Notes

Escape By Henrika  
  
Henrika- Hello everyone! I tried to post this earlier but the site was down. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer- (Clears throat) I DON"T OWN DIGIMON!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Terriermon woke up the next morning and instantly felt that something was wrong. He saw Henry's D-power and quickly read the following:  
  
Dear Terriermon, I'm sorry I had to leave. It had nothing to do with you. Please watch over Suzie and Lopmon for me. I left you my D-power so you can help defend yourself. Please deliver the envelope under my D-power to the other tamers. Goodbye Terriermon.  
  
Henry  
  
Terriermon immediately ran out to the kitchen where the rest of the family was having breakfast.  
  
"Terriermon wat's wrong?" Suzie asked. Breathlessly Terriermon handed the note to Henry's dad, Janyu. He read the note and immediately dialed Takato's number.  
  
"Matsuki Residence, Takato speaking." came the cheery reply.  
  
"Takato have you seen Henry anywhere?" Janyu asked.  
  
"No, why? Is something wrong?" Takato asked.  
  
"He disappeared. I'll try Rika's number. Thank you Takato." Janyu said as he hung up.  
  
**************************  
  
"Rika, honey, its for you." Seiko, Rika's Grandmother said as she held the phone in her direction.  
  
Rika picked it up and said "Hello?" The voice on the other end of the line was urgent.  
  
"Rika, have you seen Henry anywhere? He disappeared last night." Henry's father said.  
  
"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him." Rika said and the dial tone hit her ears.  
  
"Renamon. Something's wrong. Henry is gone." Rika said as she ran back to her room.  
  
The fox materialized as she entered.  
  
"Sit down Rika." Renamon asked her tamer. Rika was confused, but she sat in her desk chair. "When you asked me to follow him last night, I did." Renamon said. The digimon then produced a small knife. "Rika, do you realize what this is on the handle?" Renamon asked as she handed the knife to her tamer.  
  
Rika gasped as she realized it was Henry's wristband. "He was going to use it last night. He gave it to me instead and said I could show it to you when he vanished. He has." Renamon said. Rika looked at her digimon in shock mixed with anger.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Rika asked.  
  
"I couldn't break my word Rika." Renamon said. Rika nodded and slipped the wristband off the handle when she noticed the band was holding a note to the handle. She read the following:  
  
Dear Terriermon, Tamers, and Family.  
  
I'm sorry. I just couldn't live without some sort of friend. I couldn't live with the anger that threatened to consume me. I leave these final words to you all.  
  
Dad- I forgive you and I understand what you had to do.  
  
Suzie- You are a tamer. Don't forget it.  
  
Family- I love you all.  
  
Terriermon-Take care my friend. I'm sorry I wasn't a better partner.  
  
Takato and Jeri- Good luck kids.  
  
Kazu and Kenta- Stay friends and don't let anyone take away your friendship.  
  
Ryo- There's more to life than just fighting.  
  
Rika-Just remember, although at times you may be helpless, you are never hopeless.  
  
Goodbye Everyone, Henry  
  
Rika was crying as she read what would have been Henry's last words. (Henrika- Yeah I know, Rika crying?)  
  
"Renamon, we have to find him. Do you know where he is?" Rika asked Renamon.  
  
"I know where he is, but not where he is." Renamon said. Rika looked in askance at her digimon.  
  
"He's in the digital world Rika." Renamon said. (Let's just say that the digimon can sense all of the tamers, OK.)  
  
"Thanks Renamon." Rika said as she heard her D-power beep. The signal meant that someone had called a tamer's meeting for right then. Rika and Renamon headed off towards the park.  
  
Henrika- Ok, I have a question here. Should I write a chapter that follows what happens when Henry gets to the digital world? Right now I don't plan on it, but if I get a bunch of people who want one I will do my best to write it. I am also setting a review mark of 20 reviews for the next chapter to be posted. So get reviewing and tell me if you want that extra chapter. 


	4. Clouded Gray

Escape By Henrika  
  
Disclaimer-I don't own Digimon! I wish I did but I don't.  
  
Henrika-I am so sorry! I meant to get this chapter out a lot sooner, BUT I didn't get my review requirement until now and then my computer crashed and I lost everything. So I'm afraid the rest of the chapters are going to be slow in coming. Since one person wanted this chapter I am going to write it. And this time I have to get 30 REVIEWS before I continue. Enjoy and Review!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Ouf!" Henry grunted as he was tossed out onto a cold metal floor. "Where am I?" He wondered out loud as he got up. The entire room was sheathed in metal, except for part of it. The part of the room that wasn't was a shining digital gate; the one Henry had just fallen through.  
  
"Guess I may as well look around since I'm going to be here awhile." Henry said as he remembered the letters he had left with Terriermon. He opened the door and found himself in a library.  
  
"Wait a second. This is Mr. Mizuno's place. Why did the gate send me here?" Henry wondered out loud. "Great, I've already started talking to myself." It was then that he noticed something warm was running down his hand. The fall had re-opened the half-hearted cut he had made on his wrist.  
  
Using some of the pressure points he had learned from Sensei, he grasped his arm and stopped the bleeding. "Is anyone here?" Henry yelled as he started wandering around the house. Silence greeted his ears and he sighed. "Well at least here there's no one to hurt me." He thought of Rika and sighed again.  
  
"How could I have been so stupid?" Henry yelled as he punched the wall in frustration. He began to run just for the sake of taking away some of his energy. The twisting hallways ran on forever, leading to all sorts of place, not just in the house, but into the digital world.  
  
Finally Henry reached his goal and stumbled down a hallway, falling to the floor. He didn't even notice the door until he flipped over onto his back. "How did this get here?" He said in confusion. He looked for a knob or some way to open the door and found nothing. Angrily, he kicked the door, trying to force it open.  
  
"What is going on here?" He muttered as he slumped against the door and passed straight through it. "I guess you can't be angry when you're trying to go through it. Must be a defense mechanism Mr. Mizuno put in." He explained to himself. Getting up again, he wandered into the little room at the end of the hall. It was small and had a window seat in the center of the farthest wall. It was what was out the window that made Henry gasp. It was the digital ocean, the same one he, Takato, and Terriermon had swam through to get here the first time. Thinking of that made him think of his other friends and more specifically, Rika.  
  
Although he had not said so in any of his notes, he had done what he had because of her. He had begun to drift away from everyone after the D- reaper's defeat. The thing that killed him was that nobody noticed. "Nobody was supposed to notice." Henry thought out loud. When Rika had accepted Ryo's date he knew it was her decision, but he was still crushed.  
  
Henry crawled onto the window seat, knowing somehow that he would be spending a lot of time here. He laid down and fell asleep, tears slipping from his now-clouded eyes.  
  
Henrika- Sad and short. Did that qualify as a tearjerker? I'm afraid the next chapters will be slow since I have to remember what I had typed the first time. Remember, must have 30 reviews to post the next chapter! Review Folks! 


	5. Let's go!

Escape  
  
By Henrika  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
Rika-Look, she doesn't digimon!  
  
Annoying Lawyer- THIS IS COPYRIGHT VIOLATION!  
  
Rika-Renamon?  
  
Renamon- DIAMOND STORM!  
  
What's left of Annoying Lawyer-Ouch!  
  
Rika-Like I was saying, she doesn't own digimon. Is that clear?  
  
Henrika- Hee, hee, hee. (Laughing at disclaimer) Hey everyone. First let me clarify some stuff. I only wanted my review counter to go to 30, meaning I only wanted ten reviews. So don't be discouraged! This time I am just asking for everyone to review! So PLEASE REVIEW! Also, I finally saw Princess Mononoke! It's pronounced mon-a-no-ke. That is one of the coolest animes I've ever seen and I highly recommend it. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Thanks to all my reviewers for last chapter!  
  
littleweirdwriter  
  
MidnightLoner  
  
Takako  
  
Butterfly-fire  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"How could he have disappeared? He isn't a magician you know!" Takato yelled as Jeri tried to comfort him. They were at Guilmon's hideout. Kazu, Guardromon, Kenta, Marine Angemon, Ryo, Monodramon, and Terriermon were also there. Terriermon had had Suzie call the meeting before she left with the rest of the Wong family to search for Henry.  
  
"Calm down Takato. Henry will be alright." Jeri said as she put an arm around his shoulders. 'I hope.' She thought as she bit her lip to keep from saying it.  
  
"Anyone seen Rika?" Ryo asked, almost nervously.  
  
"Hey Ryo, how did you get that bandage on your face?" Kenta asked curiously.  
  
"Uh. Um. Hmm." Ryo stammered.  
  
"He tried to kiss me and got my door instead!" Rika said as she came into the shelter, Renamon trailing behind her.  
  
Kazu's face fell. "So you didn't get it in some heroic battle that we missed?"  
  
"No." Ryo answered.  
  
"Ahem." Terriermon said from the corner. Everyone turned to look at him. "We still have the matter that my partner is MISSING!"  
  
"Terriermon," Renamon said calmly, "what is that paper in your hand?"  
  
"Henry left three things when he left, wherever he went. He left a note for his family, a note for all of us, and his d-power." Terriermon said as he held up the latter two. Rika took them from him, clipped the digivice to her belt, and opened the letter.  
  
"Dear Tamers and Digimon," Rika started reading, "I'm sorry. I just couldn't live the lie of my life anymore. I've gone someplace where I can be alone. I'll be fine. Don't try to come after me. Just enjoy your lives and know that I'll always be your friend. Good luck to everyone. Henry."  
  
"What did he mean by living a lie?" Kenta asked after a moment off stunned silence had passed over the group.  
  
"You can ask him that when we find him." Rika said as she got up.  
  
"Rika, he asked us not to come after him." Ryo pointed out.  
  
"I don't care. He's my friend."  
  
"Look, we're all friends, but."  
  
"But what?" Rika yelled.  
  
"We don't even know where to start looking." Ryo said firmly.  
  
"I know where he is." Calumon said, his voice bouncing with excitement. Everyone looked shocked except for Rika and the digimon.  
  
"You're right." Guardromon added when he realized what was going on.  
  
"Hey ya big lunk head, why don't ya tell the rest of us what's going on!" Kazu yelled as he shook his fists.  
  
"Guilmon?" Takato turned toward his partner.  
  
Guilmon looked thoughtful for a moment, like when he was trying to decide between Guilmon bread with peanut butter or a jar of peanut butter, usually picking both. "The digital world." Guilmon said after a moment.  
  
"That means we'll have to find a digital gate." Jeri stated.  
  
"Yeah! Wait, does anyone know where one is?" Kenta asked.  
  
Blank stares were exchanged around the shelter. "How could Henry have gotten there if there wasn't a gate?" Kazu asked.  
  
"Terriermon?" Renamon asked the small, thinking digimon in the corner. "What is it?"  
  
"Well, when we got home last night I remember that there was a bunch of clicking coming from his room. I think it was his computer." Terriermon added.  
  
"You don't think?" Rika said as they all stared at each other.  
  
"Let's go." Takato said.  
  
****************************  
  
Within a few minutes, the group had made their way to the Wong apartment.  
  
"Uh, how are we supposed to get in?" Takato sweat dropped as they realized the door was locked.  
  
"No problem." Terriermon said, as he knocked on the door three times in an odd pattern.  
  
"Terriermon?" Lopmon said from the other side.  
  
"Yep, its me. Open up!" There was some muffled noise from the other side, then the door swung open, Lopmon having turned the handle with her ear.  
  
"Angry kid! What are you doing here?" Suzie asked as she walked into the room.  
  
"I thought you were out with your parents!" Terriermon said.  
  
"Uh-uh. They left me here in case Henry came back." Suzie answered.  
  
"Hey Suzie, do you want to know a secret?" Rika asked as she knelt down in front of the girl.  
  
Suzie's face brightened. "Yeah!"  
  
Rika smiled one of her rare smiles. "Good. We're going to go to the digital world and find Henry. We need you to keep watching for him here in case we don't find him there."  
  
"Oh, Ok." Suzie said. The group walked down the hall to Henry's room. Rika booted up the computer. To their surprise, a digital gate formed on the screen the second Rika's hand left the ON button.  
  
"Well, that was easy." Takato said.  
  
"Everybody ready?" Rika said as she moved back, pulling her D-power off her belt.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Good Luck! Bring back my brother!" Suzie yelled as the tamers disappeared into the gate.  
  
Henrika-Yea! I think this is the longest chapter I've written yet! I'm not sure how many more chapters I'm going to have. When my files got deleted, I lost everything except my next two fics, which I've been writing in my spiral notebook. Tell me what you thought of this chapter, no flames! I will try to post the next chapter when I get either 10 reviews or whenever I feel like it. So review! 


	6. Through the ocean

Escape  
  
By Henrika  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
Rika-What is with these guys?  
  
Hoard of Annoying Lawyers- FANFICTIONS ARE ILLEGAL!  
  
Rika-That's it! BIOMERGE ACTIVATE! Renamon bio-merge to.Sakuyamon!  
  
Hoard of Annoying Lawyers-Uh-oh.  
  
Sakuyamon-Spirit Strike!  
  
(Hoard of Annoying Lawyers bursts into data.)  
  
Sakuyamon-*sweatdrops* They were digimon! You have got to be kidding me!  
  
Henrika-I love anime! I have recently become a fan of G Gundam ,.hack//sign, Yu-Gi-Oh, plus the movie Princess Mononoke. Woohoo! And of course, Digimon Tamers, even though now the only time I can watch it is if I dig out a tape I made. Oh well. I think I have a pretty good idea where this story is going and I might even start typing my next one if I get a chance. Keep reading and reviewing! My new goal is to get my review counter up to about 45.  
  
Thanks to these reviewers:  
  
Vashkoda- Wow. That was a lot of advice. Angry kid is what Suzie called Takato for an episode or two. I think it started in Snakes, Trains, and Digimon. About dialogue, yes I know I screw it up. Since there seems to be a need to give Henry an explanation for his action, I'll tell you that it will happen in a later chapter. I had already planned it out this way, so sorry if it was confusing. The digital gate thing was a necessary evil to explain how he got there. He is good with computers from what the show shows us, so I figured it wouldn't be too much of a stretch.  
  
I Love Jenrya- Here you go. I updated.  
  
Solar Kitty- It seems that most Henrika fans love Ryo torture. Oh well.  
  
Takari-jenruki4evagirl aka Aro- Yea! You liked the chapter. You really liked it.  
  
Butterfly-fire-Don't worry. They have to find him or else this story would go forever.  
  
littleweirdwriter-Of course they'll save Henry. **I hope.**  
  
Takako- Don't worry. The Henrika is coming in later chapters.  
  
MidnightLoner-Yea, they're off to find Henry. Just not in this chapter. **Sweatdrop**  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"Oh, my aching head." Kenta groaned as he sat up.  
  
"Pu!" Marine Angemon added.  
  
Kenta looked around at the scene before him. Kazu was trying to help Guardromon up and with Ryo and Monodramon's help; they finally managed to get the machine digimon on his feet. Jeri, Takato, Guilmon, and Renamon were standing next to Rika at the edge of the small dirt patch they had landed on.  
  
"Wait a second," Takato proclaimed as the group finally made their way over to the others, "I've been here before." Takato raced over to the wall of the cave. "This is where Terriermon drilled through the wall and the water started coming in. Then Henry slashed a sub-zero ice punch card to freeze the hole. I can't believe the ice hasn't melted!"  
  
"Slow down Takato. When and what are you talking about?" Jeri asked as she grabbed his shoulder so he'd stop racing around.  
  
"Yeah Takato, I don't remember ever being here." Guilmon said.  
  
"It happened when we got separated from you guys during that digital storm. We fell in the water, and then we came up here. After that." Takato trailed off, suddenly very excited. Takato surprised the other by shaking free of Jeri and diving headfirst into the water.  
  
"Takato!" Everyone yelled in unison.  
  
"Momentai!" Terriermon said as he realized what had happened.  
  
"Terriermon, what did he just do?" Kazu shouted. The small digimon remained mute and pointed toward the water. A minute passed and Jeri was on the verge of tears, when bubbles started appearing on the surface.  
  
"I think he's coming up!" Guardromon shouted and started doing a little dance around Kazu, stopping when his partner rapped his knuckles on his arm.  
  
Takato pulled himself out of the water and said, "Hi guys!" When he saw the looks on their faces, most of them murderous that he had pulled that stunt, he quickly started his explanation. "We had to find away out of here and Henry figured out that if you believe in something hard enough in the digital world, it will probably happen. Check this out." Takato said as he leant forward. "Feel my hair."  
  
The others crowded around the boy and touched his hair, pulling back in shock when they realized what Takato had just said meant. "It's dry." Kenta exclaimed.  
  
"That means.!" Jeri said.  
  
"Boy, you people are slow." Terriermon said as he leaped in.  
  
"Right! We can breathe underwater." Takato said as he laughed at the expressions on their faces.  
  
"In that case, what are we waiting for?" Rika said as she executed a perfect dive into the water. Renamon leaped in after her. The rest of the gang followed suit.  
  
Takato swam up next to Rika. "Where exactly are we going Gogglehead?" Rika asked.  
  
"Uh." Takato managed to sweatdrop underwater.  
  
"You mean you don't know!" Rika shouted as she stopped swimming.  
  
"Hold on. I didn't say that. I figured we get go to Mr. Mizuno's place in the digital world. Then we could.well.um."  
  
"Never mind. We'll figure something out when we get there." Rika said as she started swimming again. Takato, however, was looking around at the ocean.  
  
'Where are all the digimon that were here?" He wondered. It hit him that the D-reaper had destroyed most of the digital world and it was just now getting back to the level it used to be. Jeri swam up next to him.  
  
Seeing the look on Takato's face and a quick glace around her, she said, "Don't worry Takato. I'm sure they managed to get away."  
  
Takato smiled weakly. "Yeah, you're probably right."  
  
"Takato?" Jeri asked as they started swimming again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you think Calumon will always like creampuffs?" Jeri smiled, knowing exactly how to crack Takato up.  
  
Takato laughed. "The day when Ms. Asagi gives us no homework will be the day when Calumon stops liking creampuffs and Guilmon stops liking bread." Jeri laughed too.  
  
"So never." Jeri said and the pair started laughing again.  
  
"Takato!" Kenta yelled from where the group had stopped by a pipe.  
  
Jeri and Takato swam up to them. "Ok everyone, this is kind of like the bubble thing we used to get to the sovereign's castle. We just need to swim up the pipe a little and a bubble will take us to Mr. Mizuno's!" Takato said.  
  
The group entered the pipe and a bubble formed around them, carrying them towards a large mansion.  
  
'Here we come Henry. Whether you like it or not.' The group thought as the bubble popped and they entered the mansion.  
  
Henrika- So what did you think? Kind of a filler type chapter, but what are you gonna do? Review and make my counter go to 45! 


	7. Separation

Escape By Henrika  
  
Sakuyamon-Now that we got rid of the annoying lawyermon, we have to do the disclaimer. Henrika does not own digimon. It is just that simple.  
  
Henrika- Hi everyone. I didn't realize the last chapter was so short, sorry. Then it was Spring Break and I went on a trip. Then I was just busy. Now I'm back and here is the next chapter. Read and Review. Oh, I added Rurouni Kenshin to my list of animes that I'm basically hooked on.  
  
I Love Jenrya- Yep. 44 was enough.  
  
Solar Kitty- It's funny. At the start of the series they called the teacher Miss. Asagi, but then at the end it was Miss. Nami. You decide. Oh and thanks for your review on my other story. Sorry about the first chapter. I never fixed the paragraph thing on it.  
  
Killer Mayhem-Ahhh! Don't hurt me. Here's the chapter!  
  
Midnight Loner-Read my comments at the end.  
  
gochikku_tenshi_e_hikari- I couldn't find your fics. Log in when you review so I can go through the links.  
  
littleweirdwriter-New chapter. Woohoo. I tried to make it a little longer, but I think it is still short.  
  
anonymous-Glad you liked it.  
  
Takako- Sorry, no Henrika in this chapter either. Read comments at end.  
Chapter 7  
  
"Do you think Henry is here?" Jeri asked as the bubble popped.  
  
"Uh." Takato said, as he looked a bit sheepish. After all, he had brought them here, and he didn't have a clue as to where Henry might be.  
  
"Hey! Why don't we split up and look for him here!" Kazu and Kenta said.  
  
Rika looked positively ecstatic as she spoke. "You two actually have good ideas."  
  
The pair looked at each other, then at Rika, and said in unison, "Can it Rika!"  
  
The group laughed at that. It had been a running joke between Rika, Kazu, and Kenta ever since they came up with the idea to have Suzie and Jeri stay with them while the other tamers confronted the sovereign.  
  
Rika's smile dropped though, when she remembered what had happened before that. Henry had lost it, and for a second, he was no longer the calm pacifist. He had hit Suzie and that had scared them all.  
  
"Alright. Jeri, Terriermon, Guilmon, and I will go down this way." Takato said as he pointed down a hallway.  
  
"Guardromon, Kenta, Marine Angemon, and I will go this way." Kazu said as he pointed down a different corridor.  
  
"Rika, Cyberdramon."Ryo started, but Rika cut him off.  
  
"Renamon and I will be going this way." Rika pointed. "You can look over there Ryo." She said as she pointed in the opposite direction.  
  
"Oook." Takato said. "Let's go."  
  
The groups moved off in four directions. ************  
  
Rika was still fuming about Ryo and Renamon was giving her her space. Rika had been walking for a while when she suddenly noticed that she couldn't hear Renamon padding along behind her. She whipped around and confirmed her fear. Renamon wasn't there. "Renamon!" Rika's voice echoed down the hall. Rika ran back in the direction she had come. She was confronted by a huge door with no handle. (Henrika- Sound familiar?)  
  
"Renamon!" Rika screamed repeatedly as she pounded the door with her fists, trying to break through. It was useless. Rika looked around to see if she could find anything to break down the door with. The hallway was dark, so she was able to see a small sliver of light coming from the end of the corridor. She walked to the end and peeked through the crack, gasping at what she saw on the other side.  
  
***************************  
  
On the other side of the door, Renamon was becoming frantic. A large door at separated her from Rika. It had appeared out of thin air and Renamon couldn't even scratch it with her claws. "Diamond Storm!" She launched an attack. The digital diamonds struck the door and glinted before they were smashed into oblivion.  
  
"Rika!" Renamon shouted, her voice coming back over and over again. 'I have to find the others' Renamon thought as she raced up the hall. "Takato!" She shouted as she raced down the direction his group had went, her voice going down all the passageways.  
  
********************  
  
"I hear Renamon." Terriermon said as his ears perked up.  
  
"And I can smell her." Guilmon added. A few seconds later, Takato and Jeri heard the normally silent kitsune racing down the hall.  
  
"Renamon, what happened?" Takato asked.  
  
"Where's Rika?" Jeri said as she looked behind the digimon.  
  
"I.don't.know." Renamon panted. "She was just ahead of me one moment, then the next there was a door I couldn't break. You have to help me."  
  
"Lead the way!" Takato shouted as they turned around and followed the fox digimon.  
  
A mad dash up the hall ensued, leading the group to where they had started in the first place. To their surprise, the others were already there. "Dude, what happened?" Kazu said as the others approached.  
  
"Yeah, we heard Renamon scream." Kenta chimed in.  
  
"What happened?" Ryo said, finally getting to the point.  
  
"Rika is missing. We need to go find her." Takato said as they began running down the hall Rika and Renamon had taken.  
  
The group finally arrived at the door. "Alright everybody. On three! One! Two! Three!" Takato yelled as the digimon lined up their attacks. Monodramon also digivolved into Cyberdramon.  
  
"Diamond Storm!"  
  
"Desolation Claw!  
  
"Kahuna Wave! Pah!"  
  
"Guardian Barrage!"  
  
"Bunny Blast!"  
  
"Pyro Sphere!"  
  
A large cloud of smoke appeared. The group leaned forward expectantly.  
  
Henrika- Hehee. Cliffhanger. Sorry that this chapter was slow in coming and a bit of a filler. I think that the next chapter will finally have Rika's confrontation with Henry. **Gasp from readers** C'mon, like you don't know who's behind the door she was looking through. The next chapter is going to be a bit slow. Sorry about it. 


	8. Found

Escape  
  
By Henrika  
  
Disclaimer- I don't own digimon. Is that perfectly clear?  
  
Henrika-Ach, I never meant to leave this chapter alone for so long. Sorry!  
  
IMPORTANT- My next story has a twisted version of a Meramon with black- green flames. I had originally intended to call him FireDaemon, but there are a lot of Daemons out there. So should I keep the name or think of something else. Name suggestions would be appreciated if you don't like the one I have. Thanks. Review while you're at it.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Rika gasped as she peered through the crack in the door. In the corner, she could see a familiar splotch of blue hair. "Henry!" She shouted, forgetting her current situation of being trapped. Rika ran to the small window seat that gazed out on the digital ocean to find Henry slumped against the wall of it. "Henry?'  
  
Slowly, he turned his head to face her. A bit of shock registered on both faces. Henry's eyes were rather puffy and Henry was just shocked that Rika was standing in front of him. Then the anger set in. "I thought I told you not to come after me." He said with a hint of ice in his voice.  
  
"We're your friends. Of course we came to look for you." Rika responded. 'Something is wrong with him.' Rika decided.  
  
Henry did a very un-Henry like thing. He smirked. "Friends?"  
  
He had gone too far on Rika's short patience. "What friends? What do you mean what friends?"  
  
"I mean, who would bother to care that I'm gone?" Henry snapped.  
  
"I would!" Rika said as she grabbed his collar, then blushing slightly as she realized what she said she added, "And all the other tamers too! Now you are going to tell me why you tried to commit suicide!"  
  
She released her grip on Henry and he slumped back against the wall in defeat. " I assume Renamon showed you the knife. Do you want the truth?" He asked softly.  
  
Rika was surprised by the sudden mood change, but she had enough sense to nod. Henry turned his head to the ocean and breathed deep. "There were a few reasons. My own dad betrayed me. He used me." He said bitterly.  
  
"That doesn't justify killing yourself Wong. What are the other reasons?" Rika said, taking a seat across from him on the window seat.  
  
"How about the fact that I hated myself?" He paused. "It was my fault the digimon went away. I should have known what my dad was up to. I hated myself every time I couldn't keep my anger from hurting people. I hated myself for not being a stronger tamer. Mostly, I just hated myself for always being a pacifist. I could never protect anyone I cared for."  
  
"Henry." Rika started in a compassionate tone, but he wasn't finished.  
  
"When you went out on a date with Ryo, it just proved to me that I wasn't important to anyone and that I was the same coward I've always been."  
  
"What do you mean, coward?" Rika questioned.  
  
Henry seemed to stare harder at the ocean. "Coward that I didn't have the courage to tell you how I feel."  
  
Rika stared dumbfounded at him. 'Does he mean he loves me?' Rika wondered. Out loud she said, "Henry, you are not a coward. And for your information, my entire so-called date with Ryo, I was thinking about you! You are not worthless. Everything is not your fault! There are people that care about you too, you know!"  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Like me."  
  
Rika was caught off-guard when Henry closed the gap and hugged her, tears spilling from his eyes. Even Rika felt her eyes water up a bit.  
  
"You had no right to kill yourself Henry." Rika whispered. "You can't just leave us all behind."  
  
"Thank you Rika." He whispered, and then pulled back from their hug suddenly. "Wait a second, did you say the others were here with you?"  
  
"Yeah, why?" She said. "Oh." Rika said as she realized what had happened before she found Henry.  
  
"They're probably looking for you."  
  
"We can't get out of here though." Rika realized with a jolt. "The door is blocking the way."  
  
Henry smiled. "That's alright. I know the way out. C'mon."  
  
He grabbed Rika's hand and pulled her up, then started down the hall with her. "I hope they aren't too worried." Rika said as they made it to the door.  
  
"Concentrate on being calm." Henry said as he placed both of their hands on the door. They started to slide through and emerged in a cloud of smoke.  
  
*************  
  
The other tamers were leaning forward in the anticipation that the combined attacks of the digimon had blown the door to pieces. The smoke finally settled and revealed a very solid-looking door and two figures.  
  
Takato was the first to recover form the shock. "Rika!" He shouted as he spotted her. Then in amazement, "Henry!"  
  
"Hi guys." He said a bit sheepishly. Several shocked faces were staring at him. Terriermon moved away from the group, turning his back on his tamer. "Terriermon?" Henry said as he walked over to the small digimon and knelt beside him. "Can you ever forgive me for being such a bad tamer and abandoning you?"  
  
Terriermon stayed still for a moment, then slowly turned around. "Momentai." He said, accenting each syllable. "Of course I can forgive you." Henry swept his partner into a hug and turned to the others while Rika and Renamon reunited.  
  
"Guess I have some explaining to do." Henry said.  
  
"You sure do chumly." Kazu said.  
  
"Yeah." Ryo agreed.  
  
"It can wait." Jeri said with uncommon resolve. "Our first priority is getting out of here."  
  
"Good idea Jeri." Takato said.  
  
"Um guys, how do we get out of here?" Kenta posed the pertinent question. There was a collective sweat drop from everyone in the group.  
  
They turned in surprise as Henry laughed. "Follow me." He took off down the hall, still holding Rika's hand. "It's the same portal I used to get here in the first place." He said as they stopped in front of a metal door. He dropped Rika's hand and studied the door. "It almost looks like a D-power fits here." He pointed to an indention in the door.  
  
"Then you'll need this." Rika said as she suddenly remembered the green digivice clipped to her belt.  
  
"Thanks." He said softly, placing the D-power in the slot. The metal door swung open, revealing the lived digital gate.  
  
"That's a pretty light Takatomon." Guilmon said goofily.  
  
"Puh." Marine Angemon said in agreement.  
  
The tamers and digimon walked into the light. Henry and Rika were the last to go through. "Guess I'm going to have to do a lot of explaining when we get back." Henry said.  
  
"Yeah, but we'll do it together." The pair stepped through, hand in hand.  
  
Henrika- Short and out of character. SORRY! One more chapter left, I think. Please vote on my dilemma in the notes at top. Since you've already read the story, go ahead and review it. Please? 


	9. Realization

Escape  
  
By Henrika  
  
Disclaimer- Nope, digimon ain't mine.  
  
Henrika- Last chapter folks! Woohoo! It's short so don't hurt me. Hope you've enjoyed this fic. Be on the lookout for at least one new digimon story and a Rurouni Kenshin one when I get the time. Read and review!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
To the Tamer's surprise, they landed inside the tunnel under Guilmon's shelter. After they had all crawled out and settled themselves in various places, Henry began his explanation.  
  
"After the digimon left, I felt it was my fault that I didn't see what my dad was up to. I thought you all hated me." As Takato moved to protest, Henry cut him off. "I know that's not true, but it was easier to think that. I was tired of always being the odd one out and being the mediator." He sighed. "I was tired of a lot of things and I thought that running away would make my problems leave me alone."  
  
Rika wasn't surprised that he didn't mention his suicide attempt. It would further ruin his image as the levelheaded one of the group. "Gosh Henry, we didn't mean to leave you out." Takato said.  
  
"It wasn't anyone's fault but my own. I should have known that if I had a problem I could talk to you guys." Smiles appeared around the shelter.  
  
"Darn right you could have." Kazu said.  
  
"I really want to thank you guys for coming after me. And if...." He faltered slightly, ".....you guys could forgive me for being so stupid.... "  
  
"Of course we forgive you, don't we Takatomon?" Guilmon said.  
  
"Forgiven." Takato agreed.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Right."  
"Thanks guys. That means a lot to me." Henry said.  
  
"Um, Takato?" Jeri asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look outside."  
  
"Holy smokes!" Ryo exclaimed as they saw that it was nearly pitch- black outside.  
  
"Our parents are going to be so worried!" Kenta jumped up, opening his pocket so Marine Angemon could fly inside.  
  
"Aw man, I was supposed to be home hours ago." Kazu said as the other tamers started to get up."  
  
"You're doomed." Guardramon said quite cheerily.  
  
"Aw man."  
  
"We'd better get going before we're all grounded for the rest of our lives." Ryo said as he hopped aboard the Cyberdramon Express.  
  
"I'd better walk you home Jeri." Takato said as he held out his arm. "C'mon Guilmon."  
  
"You can call your parents from my house." She offered.  
  
"Buh-bye!" Calumon yelled from Jeri's shoulder as the four of them walked away.  
  
"Nice to have you back Henry!" Takato added.  
  
"We should be going as well Rika." Renamon said.  
  
"Shall I walk you home Rika?" Henry offered his arm to her like Takato had done to Jeri.  
  
"Who said anything about walking?" She bolted past him yelling at Renamon to take Terriermon to Henry's apartment.  
  
"Thanks for the talking-to Renamon." Henry said as she leapt away with a startled Terriermon.  
  
"Repaying a favor." She said as disappeared from his sight. (Henrika- In the series, Renamon and Henry talked quite a bit when Rika was having trouble accepting her as a partner and not a fighting machine.) Henry quickly ran to catch Rika. She had had a considerable head start and he didn't catch her until they were nearly at her house.  
  
"If you ever try anything so stupid as running away or killing yourself again, you'll answer to me." Rika threatened as they stopped outside the gate of her house.  
  
Henry put up his hands in self-defense. "I'll never try anything so stupid again." He recited it like an oath.  
  
"Good. In that case, you're forgiven."  
  
"Good night Rika." Henry said.  
  
"Good.wait a minute." She said as she ran inside her house.  
  
"O.k."  
  
Rika came back and told Henry to close his eyes. He did as she said and she slipped his wristband back in place. "Welcome back Henry." Rika smiled one of her true smiles and gave him a quick kiss.  
  
Henry smiled. "Glad to be back."  
  
Henrika- Wow. It took me forever to write this fic after my computer destroyed it the first time. Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys helped a lot! Be sure to check out my author profile for news on my upcoming fics. Review and tell me what you think of the ending! 


End file.
